Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-03-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrOm our Regular cOrrcrpOndont0

| The question oil mn extra session OF the
Fiilicth Cungresa 10 begin in October and
run into the regular session, Ia now y
topic OF speculation here. Officers OF the
Executive Departments hope such ca.
lamity will he Rverted, MS the President
is reported M saying that lie would not
call Congress together unless II became
depression. Officers oi the Departments
have much happier life when Congress
il away, iur Will, il always comes n horde
OF Office hunters which fingers as loug as
the session lasis.
But the business Of this great country
has grown too vast to lie carried on by
| the methods which served well enough
half - century ago. Not one.,enth OF the
work that Congress ought to do ever gets
done at all, and one of the chief reasons
tor this IL The waste OF time from March
TO January, for although Congress meets
on the first Monday in December, IL never
gets down 10 business before the holidsys.
The cure for this is in the President's
hands. The Fiftielh Congress began It's
Official existence on the 4th OF this month
and it's members are now on pay. He has
only to exercise his prerogative of con-
| vening Congress and pointing out the work
| which most needs its attention. II he neg
lects to do this, he will be largely respon
sible for the failure of necessary legisla-
tion.
The most important legislation expected
OF the Congress Just ended failed because
of the stupid organization OF the House.
Speaker Carlisle demonstrated an utter
lack of judgment and political leadership
in assigning Mr.. Randall to controlling
position which that gentleman used to de-
feat his pnrty's pledges 1t il stated that
since the adjournment of Congress, several
prominent Democratic members have told
Mr.. Carlisle that unless he promised to
keep Mr. Randall off the Appropriations
Committee Mt the next session, they would
nof support him (Carlisle) for reelection
to the SpeHkership.
are suffering from the uns,nitary condi-
ton of the Treasury building, place all of
the responsibility for the failure OF the
bill to to.improve il on Mr.. Randnll's shoul-
ders. His disposition is to oppose all ap-
preparations that are not in his opinion
necessary. When spoken TO in regard TO
the unhealthfnl mir of the Treasury, he
foolishly remarked that he had visited
that Department on several occasions, and
could no, smell any sewar gas.
The Democratic party promises to be
weakened in the next Congress even be.
yond its present condition. The Fiftie,k
Congress will come in with two IL irds of
the Democrats new men, and those who
have studied Its composition carefully
since the election agree that the personnel is
weak. A Democratic me Der who was
talking on the subject recently, acknowl-
edged that everything in the last House
went to the bad, as far as the party was
concerned, for want OF leader, and he
added that the next House would be n
mere plaything In the hands of the Re
publicans on account of the new recruits
on The other side who are utterly without
experience or reputation. 1t requires an
apprenticeship of two years for man to
learn the parliamentary rules and work
ing methods of Congress, and in the mat
ter OF leadership the Republicans stood in
bold contrast TO the Democrats in the
House which has just closed its existence
As Senator Edmunds ia seldom drawn
into free expressions of lila views on Ger.
tain subjects, they are all the more prized
when lie does occasionally indulge in
talk. In his opinion, Mr.. Cleveland's Ad-
ministraton ia not successful, whatever
the desires and intentions of those at the
head of affairs may have been. 1t was
| impossible Tor them to follow out sue.
cessfn, policy with the weight OF party
40 composed. While all the Presidents
have made aome bad appointments, he
thinks Mr.. Cleveland has been more often
betrayed than any. A large percentage oil
his appOintees have been either incompe-
tent or improper persons, or, being compe.
, tent, have been rnscals. Some Of these
men lie has selected without knowing any
thing alont them; others lie has ap-
pointed upon tie endorsement of member'
Of Congress Of his own party who have mol
hesilated 10 beiray his confidence.
| president Cleveland l.as been pulled
both ways" continued the Senator from
Vermont, "between his civil service re-
form pledges and the party pressure
Sometimes lie appeared to hold to The one
and sometimes 10 yield to the other. "The
Senator firmly believes that the Demo-
Gratis will renominnie him. however, for
fear they cannot find another man who
would do as well.